Kristin’s March Update

As I walk those halls, sit in the waiting room, and glance across the hall to Radiology, it all comes back in a flash as if it was yesterday: handing my 3 day old infant over to strange doctors, undergoing complicated tests, waiting to find out if she had any kidney function at all in her tiny little newborn body. We can never forget the miraculous way God used Anna’s pediatrician here to call his own personal urologist in Pretoria to get us in ‘only as a favor’ just 2 days later. The halls we remember walking while tearfully asking our God for grace, and strength, and mercy, are now the halls we walk thanking God for sweet Anna and for another good annual check up. I am just overwhelmed by gratefulness that is has been 4 years – the gift that these 4 years with our beautiful Anna has been. This possibly genetic kidney disease is USUALLY bi-lateral, meaning it usually affects both kidneys. What a miracle that it only affected one or we may have never known her. She has taught us so much. I am always reminded how much I take for granted.

Life is precious. Life is a vapour.“For what is your life? It is even a vapour, that appeareth for a little time, and then vanisheth away.” James 4:14 Most times, steam is worthless. It fogs up your glasses or your windshield! It is so weak, that as it escapes, it vanishes. It’s gone within seconds. As you watch a pot boil, and think that the rising steam is what your life is compared to, stop to think. I don’t know about you, but my first sense is one of inadequacy. If that is what my life really amounts to, how could I possibly make a difference? How can I make a difference in my family’s life, in the lives of those who don’t know the Lord, and in the lives of our brothers and sisters in Christ?

Yet when that very same vapor is harnessed, and channeled – it becomes the driving force behind a steam engine, a nuclear power plant, a geyser – to name a few. But on it’s own? It’ll dissipate and be gone. Forever. We usually apply this verse as to the shortness of life. And it is. Our lives – apart from the power of Christ – are vapour. Really, unable to accomplish anything on our own. If we try, we end up fogging the way or hurting ourselves. Yet, if we let our loving Creator take the vapor that we are, trusting in His Character and promises, and allow Him to channel it for His plans for us, what power suddenly comes from nothingness.

In our lives TODAY, when we are reminded of the frailty of our life, the true inadequacy of our ability and reason, may we be reminded thatSATAN accuses, but GOD offers hope.If you hear the whispers of “what’s the use”, “I may as well give up”, “I can’t do this”, “I’ve failed again”,know that those lies are coming from Satan himself. God may bring awareness of our weakness and conviction of sin, but GOD always offers hope. Romans 8:1 “There is therefore now no condemnation to them which are in Christ Jesus, who walk not after the flesh, but after the Spirit.” God specializes in using vapour. 2 Chronicles 16:9“For the eyes of the LORD run to and fro throughout the whole earth, to shew himself strong in the behalf of them whose heart is perfect toward him…”

Kristin and her husband George are missionaries in South Africa. You can read more about their ministry here. Kristin has three children – Joel, Anna, and Luke. You can read Kristin’s testimony of salvation here.